DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Staff at Broward Health North and Broward Health Medical Center worked to treat the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victims as one after another were transported.
A total of nine people were brought to Broward Health North on Wednesday. Two people were pronounced dead upon arrival.
As of Thursday afternoon, three people remain hospitalized with one in critical condition at Broward Health North. At Broward Health Medical Center, two remain in critical condition.
“Two mortalities, three in critical condition, three stable,” said director of emergency services Dr. Evan Boyar. “As a human being, you could imagine that they would be in shock or be emotional about the whole situation.”
“We have two patients deceased,” said Dr. Evan Boyar from Broward Health North during a news conference, Thursday. “Three patients have been discharged. We currently have three patients in the hospital — one with an extremity wound who’s doing well and working with physical therapy, another patients who’s still intubated after penetrating trauma to the chest, but is doing well in following commands and a third patient that remains intubated in critical condition.”
Dr. Igor Nichiporenko from Broward Health North described the patients. “They were very quiet. They were pale and quiet, and it’s the first thing that you know that someone is in shock and you need to do something fast to save their lives.”
During Thursday’s news conference, doctors said that they went through a mass shooting drill about nine months ago, which is what helped them save time and save lives on Wednesday.
The suspected shooter, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, was also brought to Broward Health North to be checked out.
He was treated by the same doctors who treated his alleged victims.
“Every patient that comes in gets treated as a patient,” Boyar said. “We take care of them medically, and that’s what we do.”
Cruz was then taken away to be processed by the Broward Sheriff’s Office about an hour later.
Governor Rick Scott visited the shooting victims that are currently being treated at Broward Health North, Wednesday night.
“Talked to a few families that have individuals here that have gone through surgeries,” said Scott. “Of course, they’re very concerned for their loved ones. They know they’re getting good care.”
Family members also could be seen at the hospital in an effort to track down loved ones.
The doctors have pledged to do everything they can for their patients.
“They’re gonna have successful surgeries, they’re gonna recover, they’re gonna go home,” said director of trauma services Dr. Igor Nichiporenko.
Over at the Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, patients continue to fight for their lives.
Seven victims were transported to the center.
7News spoke with a student at Broward Health whose friend was shot.
“He got shot twice,” said Freddy Cheng. “One time in the back and one time in the leg. They did surgery right after he got shot, and he’s OK now.”
Cheng also expressed the fear he felt during the shooting. “We heard two gunshots, and so the teacher was like, ‘Run,'” he said.
That student was not injured, but several others were.
“We received seven victims from there. From them, five are stable, two of them are critical,” said Benny Menendez with Broward Health Medical Center.
Broward Health did not let people in unless they were a patient or the family member of a shooting victim.
“In a time of crises like this, it’s better to have control over the situation, and you have better control when you control who is coming in and who is coming out,” said another staff member.
Cheng said he is confident that his friend will make a recovery. “He’s gonna be fine,” he said.
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